7-14-24 “The Courage of Faith”
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“The Courage of Faith”
I want to start with something funny that I found on an internet site: There was a preacher who fell in the ocean and he couldn’t swim. When a boat came by, the captain yelled, “Do you need help, sir?” The preacher calmly said “No, God will save me.” A little later, another boat came by and a fisherman asked, “Hey, do you need help?” The preacher replied again, “No, God will save me.” Eventually, the preacher drowned and went to heaven. The preacher asked God, “Why didn’t you save me?” God replied, “Fool, I sent you two boats!”
Do you believe in God? Of course, you may immediately and confidently say, “Yes, I believe in God.” I then ask you, “Can you show me your faith in God?” This may cause you to hesitate for a while, thinking about how you could show me. The scripture in the Letter of James says, “But someone will say, ‘you have faith; I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do’” (James 2:18). Yes, if you have faith, you should show your faith by your actions in your daily life. “Faith” seems simple, but acts of faith are more complicated, like the preacher in the story. The preacher must believe in God, and his actions seemed to trust in God. But one thing he missed is that God works for us beyond our thoughts. This is why we should open our mind and hearts. God may work through people around us, even if they might seem to be our enemies. We may show our faith through the way we love our neighbors, our family, and even those who hate us. We need courage to love our neighbors, we even need courage to love our family. In other words, we need courage to keep our faith in God.
Today, I want to talk about “the courage of faith.” When you hear me say “the courage of faith,” who comes to mind? For me, young David comes to mind. I think all of you know the story of young David. When everyone else was afraid of the Philistine soldiers, young David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:36). He stood at the very front line in the battle with the Philistine soldiers and said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel” (1 Samuel 17: 45). By God’s grace, he led the battle to victory. Somebody said David’s three stones led him to victory. Really? I believe that God works through stones or even through a staff. It is the courage of faith, which believes that God works for us, and we can go confidently even carrying just a cane.
There are two important people in today’s scripture: King Herod, who lacked courage and John the Baptist, who had the courage of faith. King Herod had the highest authority in the political field, while John the Baptist held the highest authority in the spiritual field. As soon as John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus began his public ministry. Jesus’ name was spreading among the people while John the Baptist was imprisoned. There were many rumors. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That’s why he has the power to raise the dead.” Others said, “He must be Elijah.” Elijah was the great prophet who was lifted up to heaven without dying. Still others said, “He is a prophet like one of the old prophets.” King Herod believed that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead, feeling guilt and fear because he had killed him.
Actually, King Herod liked John the Baptist and enjoyed his teachings. He knew he was a righteous person, and he also knew it was a sin to marry his brother’s wife, but he married her to demonstrate his authority. No one opposed him except John the Baptist. John the Baptist directly confronted King Herod, saying, “It is a sin to marry your brother’s wife.” In response, Herod imprisoned him to assert his authority.
One day, when the King was having his birthday party where there were many guests, his daughter danced and pleased him. He swore to her that he would give her whatever she asked for. Advised by her mother, his daughter asked for the head of John the Baptist. To keep his oath, King Herod had to kill him. However, this decision haunted him for a long time. Herod’s story is a cautionary tale about the corrupting influence of power and the dangers of compromising one’s integrity. Herod knew John was a righteous man, yet he was swayed by pride, fear, and the need to maintain his image before others. Power and pride can lead us to make decisions that betray our values and faith. We must remain awake, ensuring our actions are guided by our faith and not by the worldly power or the fear of human judgment.
As you may know, John the Baptist was a person who prepared for the way of Jesus by baptizing people and preaching the kingdom of God. His ministry lasted about one year. Even though he did this great work, his death was terrible. Compared with his amazing authority, the period of his ministry was very short. He was the first witness to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). He was the person who dared to baptize Jesus. However, his death was horrible. We don’t know why righteous people die in such horrible ways, but God knows. There are many things in the world that we don’t understand. We don’t know why certain things happen to us, to our family, or to our friends. We don’t understand how God works in these situations, but we only trust God.
John the Baptist stood firm in his conviction, fearlessly proclaiming God’s truth, even when it meant confronting powerful people like Herod. John’s commitment to the truth cost him his freedom and eventually his life. As followers of Christ, we are called to be bearers of truth, even when it’s uncomfortable or dangerous. It is the courage of faith.
Are we willing to stand for God’s truth in our lives, no matter the cost? John’s unwavering faith and courage serve as an example for us all. Despite the threat of imprisonment and death, he continued to speak God’s truth. His life challenges us to live courageously for Christ, trusting in God even in the face of challenges. Do we have the courage to live out our faith boldly, trusting that God is with us in all circumstances?
Please, try to count how blessed you are instead of counting the things that made you angry or gave you anxiety. The things, or the people, that give you worry are actually the sources that give you happiness. They might be the motivations that give you energy or revitalize your life. We have concerns or worries not because we lack authority or did something wrong, but because we are blessed through them. In other words, our concerns, such as our family issues, broken relationships, and bad medical reports, might blind us to our blessings, which lie on the other side of our lives. We cannot handle all our concerns, but God knows about our worries. God knows how to turn bitter water into sweet water because God works in extraordinary ways. God knows how to bring us from the desert to green pasture because God is our good shepherd. We don’t understand how God works, but we can trust God. Let us open our hearts and minds to see how God works for us. Let’s love our family and neighbors courageously. Thanks be to God. Amen!
Pastor Jenny Lee